Tropical Cyclone Lance

3 - 7 April 1984

Summary

Tropical cyclone Lance was the last cyclone for the 1983-84 season in the Australian region. A weak low developed in the monsoon trough on 4 April. The low at this stage was centred about 500 km southeast of mainland Papua New Guinea and subsequently moved southwest and gradually deepened. Cyclone status was reached around 0300 UTC 5 April when Lance was located about 650 km east northeast of Cairns. The lowest estimated central pressure of 992 hPa ocurred at 1200 UTC 5 April with Lance then moving on a southerly track. Between 1500 UTC 5 April and 0600 UTC 7 April the central pressure remained at about 995 hPa and during this period Lance turned to the south-southeast.

Upper-level northwest winds became established over the system and sheared the deep layer convection to the east and cyclone intensity was lost from about 0600 UTC 7 April. By 2100 UTC7 April the remnant low had decayed about 250 km east-northeast of Rockhampton. The strongest reported wind associated with Lance was 96 km/h from a ship at 0600 UTC 5 April when it was located 165 km to the southwest of the cyclone.

A new low developed around 2100 UTC 7 April near the northern tip of Fraser Island ahead of a marked upper-level trough that was moving northeast over New South Wales. This low moved south-southeast and deepened to about 980 hPa by 1500 UTC 8 April when it was centred approximately 200 km east-northeast of Brisbane. During 8 and 9 April heavy rain and storm-force winds were experienced along the Moreton coast and nearby islands. After 0900 UTC 9 April the low moved away to the east and gradually weakened. The low was not classified as a tropical cyclone.